Hampton-norfolk Ferry

High-speed Service Envisioned For Next Summer's Tourist Season

June 27, 1998|By MATT GLYNN Daily Press

HAMPTON — The cities of Hampton and Norfolk plan to start high-speed ferry service between their downtowns next summer to promote tourism.

The ferry will carry people between Nauticus in Norfolk and downtown Hampton, two sources told the Daily Press. Specifics like where the boat would dock in Hampton and how often the service would run were not available Friday.

City officials will provide details about the project, which a press release called a "major waterfront development," at 12:30 p.m. Monday at the Hampton Visitor Center.

The sources asked not to be named since the announcement had not been made.

High-speed ferry service between the two cities was talked about a few years ago. A Northern Virginia company, Metromarine Holdings Inc., in 1994 announced plans to provide trips between the two downtowns starting in 1996. At that time, the firm said it would likely offer five trips daily between the Virginia Air and Space Center and Nauticus. Its president, Alan Gray, estimated the 12-mile trip would take 40 minutes.

Gray had proposed using British-designed catamarans using gas turbines able to reach speeds up to 45 knots. But the Wisconsin shipyard that had been designated to build the ships closed. Gray also was searching for investors to supplement the federal defense-conversion grant and transportation money he hoped to get for the project.

The name of the firm that would provide the service was not available Friday. Metromarine's president, Alan Gray, couldn't be reached for comment.

The cities view the ferry service as a way to carry tourists to their downtowns. In his proposal four years ago, Gray stressed that the boats' travel time would be competitive with taking a car across a bridge-tunnel and then looking for a parking spot.

- Matt Glynn can be reached at 247-4969 or by email at mglynn@dailypress.com